Windmill.



R. CLADE.

WINDMILL.

' APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 17. 1914.

1,139,108. Patented May11,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

6; Inventor Witnesses THE NORRIS PETERS CO, FHOTO-LITHCL, WASHING TON, DC

R. CLADE.

WINDMILL.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 17, 1914.

Patent-ed May 11, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A ttorneys.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHO., WA r1i| lGTON. D. C,

R. GLADE.

WINDMILL.

APPLICATION FlLED MAR. 17

Patented May 11, 191.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor Attorneys.

Witnesses THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTOJJTHQ. WASHING mN, D. C

barn i.

ROBERT GLADE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AS SIGNOB. TO AIR, TURBINE CDMPANYOF AMERICA, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WINDMILL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented May ii, 1915.

Application filed March 17, 1914. Serial No. 825,206.

Z 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT GLADE, a subjectof the Grand Duke of Baden, residing in the city of Newark, county ofEssex, and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Vindmills, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the type of windmill which has a plurality ofvanes, mounted to swing around vertical axes and which are carriedbetween large rims supported by means of spokes from the vertical axis.A typical mill of this character is illustrated in patent to Samuel S.Harper, No. 1,011,618, dated Dec. 12, 1911. In that patent the vanes aresecured, through rigid connections, to a ring, which encircles the mainaxis of the mill. The pressure of the wind upon the vanes will turn themupon their axes so that they will be inclined to the'direction of thewind and through the angular impingement of the wind upon the vanes, thewheels will be rotated. A rigid mechanical connection between the vanesis open to the objection that all of the vanes are not inclined to theproper angle to be acted upon by the wind with the greatesteffectiveness.

One object of the present invention is to provide a connection to thevanes whereby their angles in relation to the wind will be mosteffective.

A further object is to provide means for maintaining the vanes at themost effective angle irrespective of the centrifugal stresses, which actupon the vanes and tend to swing them outward. These stresses varyaccord ing to the speed of rotation of the wheel, and on the windwardside of the wheel have a tendency to swing the vanes toward the wind,and change the angle of the vanes to aless effective one.

A third object is to provide means for stopping the mill, and permit thevanes to lie in inoperative position with relation to the wind.

Further objects are to improve details of construction whereby thebefore mentioned objects may be attained.

These and further objects will more fully appear from the followingspecification and accompanying drawings, considered together orseparately.

Figure 1 is a plan view, somewhat diagrammatical, of a portion of awindmill,

embodying the invention showing the positions the vanes assume when themill is in operation; Fig. Qis a similar view showing the vanesdisengaged and the mill at rest; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mill, andsupporting tower; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of one wheel and shaft,showing the details of the shaft bearing and devices for disconnectingthe vane angle controlling means; Fig. 5 is a section on the lines 5, 5of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the yoke and bearing of the vaneangle controlling mechanism; Fig. 7 is an elevation thereof; Fig. 8 isan elevation partly in section, of a modification of a portion of thestructure illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is an elevation of the yoke andbearing of the vane angle controlling mechanism shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10is a sectional view at right angles to the corresponding partillustrated in Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line 11, 11 ofFig. 8; Fig. 12 is an end view of one of the vanes; Fig. 13 is anenlarged sectional view of a portion of a vane; Fig. 14 is a detailedview of the connections to the flexible floating ring; Fig. 15 is a viewat right angles thereto; Fig. 15 is a sectional view of the spring stopfor defining the angle of the vane, and Fig. 17 is a view at rightangles thereto.

In all of the views, like parts are designated by similar referencecharacters.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3: The mill is supported by means of aframework or tower 1. This tower carries the mill 2 which comprises ashaft 3, carrying hubs 4, 4, 4, 4, thereon at proper intervals. Eachpair of hubs is separated, and each one of the pair is connected bymeans of spokes 5, 5, to a rim 6 thus producing a range of trussedspokes at each end of the mill. The

shaft is supported by means of bearings 7 carried by the framework 1.Each mill has two or more rims between each pair of which are mountedthe vanes 8, 8, on vertical axes 9, 9, so that they are free to swing inor out of the line of the rim, as depends upon their location on thewheel in relation to the wind. The parts previously described may belike those illustrated in the Harper patent previously referred to.

The connections for governing and determining the position of the vanesare as follows: Each vane carries an arm 10, preferably located at thebottom thereof. as shown. To the arm is attached a connection 11,preferably made of wire rope or other material which will notappreciably stretch when subjected to strains. To each connectionisattached a spring stop 12 which in turn is connected to the shaft 3.

A suitable form of spring stop device is illustrated in Figs. 16 and 17.This device comprises two interconnected flattened links 13, 15surrounded by and connected to a spiral spring 1%. The spring isnormally compressed as illustrated. When subjected to strains the springis expanded to a limit determined by the possible extent of separationof the two links.

The operation is graphically illustrated in Fig. 1, assuming the wind tobe blowing with the arrow i and the mill turning in the directionindicated by the arrow 7'. The eight vanes illustrated are in thepositions a, Z), c, 01, e, f, g and it. The arms 10 all lie at rightangles to the vanes and the spring stops 12 all are so adjusted thatwhen in retracted position, the vanes will be tangential to the rim.This will occur only in a calm. Assuming the wind to be blowing withsuflicient force to drive the mill, the following will occur: In theposition athe vane is traveling edge on to the wind and at the same timeis tangential to the rim. No effective impulsive action is possible, butin its position, edge to wind, it produces the minimum amount ofretardation to the rotation of the mill. In the position b, the vane, ifedge on to the wind, would assume the position shown in broken lines,but, owing to the pressure of the wind, it is turned on its axis,expanding the spring stop '12, and assuming a position intermediate theposition indicated by broken lines and the position at rest, which istangential to the rim. This holds the vane at an effective angle forcausing the mill to move in the direction of the arrow 7'. In theposition 0 the vane is subjected to greater pressure, hence it is turnedinwardly at a greater angle, to the wind, and the spring stop 12 isstill farther expanded, holding the vane at an effective angle forrotating the mill. In the position (1 the pressure on the vane is stillgreater hence it is turned inwardly farther and the spring stop is stillfarther expanded. In the position 6 the vane is turned inward to themaximum extent permitted by the spring stop 12, the links 13, 13 thereofbeing in engagement and the spring 14 expanded to the greatest extent.The compressing action of the spring, cou-- pled with the centrifugalpressure acting on the vane, will tend to swing it upon its axis towardthe wind, and outwardly so that when it reaches the position 7 it willbe outside of the plane of the rim of the wheel. This action is similarto the jibing of a fore-and-aft sail, when the direction of the vesselis changed. In the position f the pressure on the vane is not so greatas in the position 6, hence the angle the vane assumes and the tangentis less and the propulsion effect is good. In the position 9 thepressure on the vane is still less and hence the angle to the tangent isstill less. In the position 7?. the pressure is still less and theexpansive force of the spring in the ward. Ihose on the leeside areblown out-' ward. There is, in addition, to be considered the veryimportant effect of centrifugal force. This force tends to swing thevanes outwardly. The effect, for example, in the structure illustratedin Fig. 1, is to turn the vane in position a outward so that it acts asa drag to its advance against the wind. In the position 0, for example,the centrifugal force will tend to drive the vane toward the tangentialposition which will be resisted by the action of the spring of thestop12, thus altering the angle of the vane from an effective one to oneless effective. In the position e, for example, the centrifugal forcewill tend to turn the vane to leeward, assisted by the pressure of thewind, thus rendering the angle less efi'ective. This cen trifugal forcewill tend to send the vane outward and produce a virtual jibe before itreaches the position 6, say somewhat nearer the position (Z, which willrender the angle less effective than in the position shown at (Z. Thismalign effect of centrifugal force is partly or wholly neutralized bymeans of the following mechanism: Surrounding the shaft 3 is a ring 15.This ring is preferably not connected in any way to the shaft and ispreferably so large that it does not come in contact with it. It isflexible and is preferably made of wire rope of sufficient stiffness tohold its general circularv outline except when subjected to distortingstrains. The ring is attached to the vanes by means of connectors 16.These connectors are preferably made of flexible Wire rope which willnot stretch in use. Each connector is attached to the vane through theagency of a horse, or traveler 17. The horse has one end attached toabout the middle of the vane, and its other extremity attached to thefree edge of the vane. The horse is inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, sothat its outer end is higher than its inner end, for a purpose to bedescribed. The connection between the connectors and ring is shown inFigs. 14 and 15. A clip 18 is attached to the ring so that it will notslide thereon and one end of the connector is attached thereto. On theother end of the connector is an eye 19 adapted to slide on chion orbracket 20, see Fig. 12, so as to hold the inner end of the horse clearof the vane.

The clips 18 are equally distributed around the ring 15. The operationof this feature of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 1. The vanesband f are opposed through their connections with the ring. Thecentrifugal force acting upon the vane b to throw it to windward isresisted by the centrifugal force on the vane 7 added to the pressure ofthe wind on that vane. The

, rotative stress on the vane f is much greater than on the vane 0,because in the former instance the wind is behind the axis of the vane.Similarly the vanes c and 9 will tend to balance one another, thecentrifugal stresses to some extent equalizing another. So also will thevanes d and h, the vane cl having the greater wind stress. The vanes 01.and 6 will to some extent counter-balance one another, the vane 0, beingsubject to centrifugal stresses which are resisted by the vanes 0, d andf, 9, all tending to pull the ring in the direction toward the vanes fand g. The effect of this apparatus is such that a vane on one side ofthe wheel, which has a tendency to turn abnormally outward bycentrifugal force, is resisted by a vane, or vanes, on the other side ofthe wheel upon which the wind acts with greater force, and thesecentrifugal strains are further balanced by the spring stop on the firstvane.

The means for disconnecting the vanes, for rendering them inoperative,when it is desired to stop the mill, are as follows: The spring stops 12are connected to ropes 21 which pass around sheaves 22 carried by abracket 23 attached to the shaft 3, below" the upper hub 4 of the lowerwheel of the mill 2. These ropes, there being one for each vane, areattached to a cross-head 24 sliding on the shaft. This cross-head isabove the hub 4, the wires passing through openings in the hub 4, asshown. The crosshead is connected by rods 25 to a stem 26. These rodspass through openings in the upper member of the bearing 7 as shown andmerge into the stem 26 above the hearing. This stem is connected throughthe intermediary of a bearing 27 to a rope 28, such bearing serving as aswivel. This rope leads over suitable sheaves to a winch 29 at aconvenient point so that the cross-head 24 can be elevated or loweredand the inner ends of the spring stops 12 drawn inward or allowed to bedrawn outward by the action of the vanes. In other words, the tension onthe vanes can be controlled by means of the winch. The bearing 27 isused to keep the rope 28 from twisting. T 0 prevent the lower member ofthe bearing from one a rotating it is provided with an arm 30 having anotch which engages with and slides upon a fixed rod 31.

The rope 28 is connected to the bearing through the agency of a yoke 32and crosshead 33 as shown. By slacking off on the rope 28 to the fullestextent, the cross-head 24 will drop and tension on all of the springstops 12 will be released; however there may be no force tending toswing the vanes to the tangent position. Fig. 2 shows the position ofthe vanes when this occurs. The

spring stops 12 on all. of the vanes are un* expanded. There being nostrain on the spring stops 12, or very little strain, the vanes will allfeather and turn away from the wind. The connectors 16 of the ring 15would prevent this action of the vanes (Z and 6 were it not for theshape of the horses 17 which allow the eyes 19 on each of said vanes toslide up the horse from the center of the vane to the free edge, asshown at d and e in Fig. 2. hen the mill again starts, as soon asthestress ceases on the connectors, the eyes will slide back to thecenter of the vanes by the action of gravity.

Figs. 8 to 11 show a modification of the devices for operating the ropes21. These ropes areconnected to a cross-head 34, which is connected to asecond cross-head by rods 36. The cross-head 34 is above the hub of therange of spokes at the bottom of the mill. The cross-head 35 is abovethe uppermost range of the mill. The rods 36 pass through openings inthe flanges of the intervening hubs. The cross'head 35 is connected to arod 27 inside the hollow shaft3 by means of a pin 38 passing through anelongated slot 39 in the shaft. The rod 37 is connected to the rope 28by a bearing, 40, and a bail 41 which straddlesa bar 42 carried by theframework will prevent twisting of the rope, such bearing serving as aswivel.

From the cross-head 34 depend rods 43 to another cross-head below theone illustrated when the invention is embodied in a struc ture having aplurality of superposed mills, as illustrated in Fig. 22 of the HarperPatent No. 1,011,618, before referred to.

The vanes may be made of tubular metal frames with canvas sails laced tothem as illustrated in Fig. 3, but I prefer to make them of thin sheetsof metal 43, (see Fig. 13) held apart by spacers 44 and rivets 45.

A valuable feature of my invention is that in strong winds the springstops 12 will be expanded to a greater extent due to the increasedpressure of wind on the vanes, and smaller surface of vane area will beacted upon by the wind and the speed of the mill will therefore be keptwithin reasonable on vertical axes between the rims, means connected tothe vanes and acting to normally turn them to a tangential position inrelation to the rims, and a flexible ring surrounding the shaft andconnectors between the vanes and the ring to balance the centrifugalforces which tend to turn certain vanes outwardly by the increased windpressure on other vanes.

2. A windmill having a vertical shaft, carrying rims, a plurality ofvanes turning on vertical axes between the rims, spring stops connectedto the vanes and acting to normally turn them to a tangential positionin relation to the rims, and a flexible ring sur rounding the shaft andconnectors between the vanes and the ring to balance the centrifugalforces, which tend to turn certain vanes outwardly, by the increasedwind pressure on other vanes.

3. A windmill having a vertical shaft, rims thereon, vanes carried onvertical axes between the rims, arms on the vanes, spring stopsconnected to the arms and tending to normally hold the vanes intangential relation to the rims, a flexible ring surrounding the shaft,and connections between the ring and vanes so that the pressure oi thewind on those vanes which are to windward of the shaft will resist thecentrifugal. stresses on those vanes which are to leeward of the shaft.

4. A windmill which comprises a shaft, a plurality of rims carried bythe shaft, a plurality of vanes turning on vertical axes between therims, an arm connected to each vane at right angles thereto, a springstop connected to each arm, a collar connected to the stops, and meansoutside of the wheel for sliding the collar to release the tension onthe stops, a flexible ring surrounding the shaft, a horse on each vaneextending to its free edge, and a connection between the ring and eachhorse whereby when the tension on the spring stop is released the vaneswill be free to feather and the connections on some of the vanes willslide along the horses to the free edges of such vanes to release suchvanes from the restraining influences of the a horse extending fromabout the middle of each vane to the free edge thereof, at an upwardangle, connections between the ring and each horse whereby when thetension on the spring stop is released the vanes will be free to featherand the connections on some of the vanes will slide along the horses tothe free edges of such vanes to release such vanes from the restraininginfluences of the connections.

This specification signed and witnessed this eleventh day of March,1914.

ROBERT GLADE.

WVitnesses:

NATHAN H. LORD, ANNA E. REN'IoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

